1. How Much Does it Cost?
My rate for coming to your home or place of business and handpainting a mural for you is £230 per day. A simple mural may take only a day or two, a complex mural painted on one wall can take on average between 5 and 10 days, and an average room mural takes somewhere between 10 and 20 days to complete. More complex designs and larger rooms may take a little longer, so the costs can range from a few hundred pounds for simpler designs, up into the thousands for complex whole room designs. For fixed budgets I can offer a fixed amount of my time, so there are no surprises.
If you live in Devon, I offer my mural services for the discounted rate of just £195 per day
I do not charge extra for materials, the prices are all inclusive.
All prices are quoted in UK Pounds (£ Stirling - See Question 7 for currency converter)
For specific enquiries please contact me detailing your request.
2. How long does it take from start to finish?
The painting process can take anywhere from a few days to a month or longer, depending on the detail, size and difficulty factors. Generally most of my mural jobs have lasted from one to three weeks.
3. What is your schedule and roughly when can you start?
I am currently pencilling in bookings from January 2009.
4. Where do you live and what area do you cover?
I live in the Dartmoor area of Devon, and offer discounts for local work.
However, I can offer my mural painting service to most places in the UK and Ireland, plus I can now include France, Spain, and other Western European countries. I am a travelling artist, and can reach many a far flung place in my mobile home.
Left England to live abroad? Good move! Would you like a mural in your European home? Please contact me if you are interested. I will obsorb all fuel and travel costs up to £250 for commissions of £1500 or more.
4a. Do you add travel and fuel costs?
There is no extra charge for travel and fuel for mural commissions over £1500 in the UK, but I will need to charge for fuel if you need me to travel a long way for a consultation.
5. What sort of paint do you use, and is it toxic?
I use a blend of matt emulsion and acrylics. These paints are non toxic and are very durable, lightfast and washable (using warm soapy water and a soft sponge). If required I will apply a coat of acrylic based matt varnish for increased durability and easier cleaning, (so it will pass the "scourer test") and this varnish is also non toxic.
5a. How do you make the colours look so bright?
Although the colours do look lovely and bright on the original murals, they tend to look a shade brighter on the website, due to a cinematic effect caused by the way the colours are displayed, ie. with a backlight on computer monitors and TVs. Paint does not have the same kind of light source, and must reflect light. I adjust also the images on the computer to make them look as close to the original artwork as I can. Lastly, monitors tend to vary from one model to the next so in order to see the colours and brightness correctly, I recommend using "Adobe Gamma" to set up your monitor, as I do. Adobe Gamma installs with photoshop or the trial, which can be downloaded here (Broadband essential)
6. Can you paint these murals on to material for shipping abroad?
I can supply murals handpainted on to canvas for shipping if you prefer, painted in my Dartmoor studio.
I will need to know the size required and the subject matter, so I can work out logistics and feasability.
If you might like one of my canvas murals, please contact me, or call me by telephone if you prefer (+44 (0) 7817 911 379). We will need to discuss how viable the proposed project is, and agree on a price. If you want me to go ahead, then you will need to send a deposit of 25% to me before I start. Once this payment is cleared I will go ahead and do the work. I will send periodic photos of the mural's progress via e-mail to you, and once the mural is complete I will send you photos of the finished mural. Then you will need to send me full payment and, once this has cleared I will send you the mural. The canvas murals are painted purely with flexible acrylic paint, not emulsion, so the chances of it cracking are minimal when rolled for shipping.
There are additional costs for murals for shipping abroad, these are listed as follows:
Material - this varies with respect to size, and is usually about £30
Postage and packing - £70 - canvas murals are large and heavy!
The best way to install a canvas mural is to have it stretched over a large frame by a professional framer, then hang it on brackets or long screws fixed to the wall.
Murals could also, in theory, be installed on any wall exactly the way wallpaper is installed, using easily available materials (wallpaper paste) - but I have not tried this and is a method I have only read about elsewhere. This is what I read:
At least two people are needed to help with this kind of install, three for murals over 10 feet. The thickness of the canvas apparently makes them easier to hang than wallpaper - many of the problems like tearing or creasing are eliminated. Using an experienced decorator would in my opinion be essential for this kind of install, to achieve a neat result.
One great thing about a mural painted on canvas is that it can be taken down and taken with you if you move - even a pasted canvas could be steamed off the wall with minimal damage as steam does not harm acrylic paint.
These murals can be shipped to anywhere in the world with an address. (So the Sahara desert is out!)
Also, I can be shipped anywhere in the world to come and paint your mural for you, personally! :)
7. What currency are you using to quote the prices?
All prices are quoted in United Kingdom Pounds (£ Stirling)
Click here to use XE.com Personal Currency Assistant (if you use a pop-up blocker, try pressing Ctrl and click together) or try this alternative link:XE.com Currency Converter (opens a new window)
8. Prior to mural painting what type of preparation is required?
Ideally the walls should be new plaster, dried thoroughly, which has been sealed with plaster sealer, then given one coat of thinned white matt emulsion to prime the surface, (paint : water ratio about 80 : 20), and then one coat of normal white emulsion. Good condition lining or wallpaper can be painted over with just one normal coat of white matte emulsion. Vinyl wallpapers are unsuitable and should be removed and the walls relined. Old plaster is sometimes ok to paint on but should be made good and primed with one coat of white matte emulsion. A wall painted with a colour may also be a suitable base for me to work on. Preparation of walls can be done for an additional charge, and this will be charged at an agreed daily rate.
9. What surfaces can you paint on?
Plaster,wallpaper (not vinyls), wood, mdf, glass, tiles, brick, allsorts really.
10. How do we know what the finished murals will look like?
We can discuss ideas in the beginning and get a feel for what is wanted. To help you understand exactly what the finished murals will look like, I will submit sketches for your edit and/or approval, and show examples of my previous work. Once approved, a firm price will be quoted, or an estimate for larger (i.e longer) commissions. This way you will have a pretty good idea of what the end results will look like and what it will cost.
11. Do you do Murals for businesses?
Although I mostly work in residential households, other establishments such as cafes, bars restaurants, pubs, offices, hospitals, schools, playschemes, etc are also considered. Many types of business can benefit from the beauty of a mural
12. Can you paint while we do business or will we need to do it after hours?
Either, I can work during normal business hours, I do all I can to minimize the impact, or I can work irregular hours.
13. When are you moving to America?!
I just need the right incentive. Any Patrons out there..?
14. While doing the work, will you need to arrange accommodation?
No, I have a motor caravan, so as long as I can park within striking distance I will not need any other accommodation. Usually, and ideally, I stay on your driveway for the duration of the job. (Applies to UK, Ireland and Europe only)
15. Do you resell any of your murals?
No! All of the murals are unique one offs, and I will only paint new versions of earlier designs. No design will be exactly duplicated.
16. Can you send a brochure/catalogue?
I'm sorry but no brochure or catalogue is available at this time, Please use this website for all reference.
17. Do you take credit cards?
Not at this time, but gladly accept cheques.
18. Will the paintings last?
Yes, Acrylic and emulsion paints are very durable and lightfast, and should last for many years. I will also coat the mural in a layer of acrylic matte varnish, if desired, which makes for easier cleaning, and will extend the mural's life.
I've been in business now for seven years, and my earliest murals still look like new. The bathroom and pool murals are also still like new, with no water damage.
19. What if the mural is damaged?
If something happens due to accidental damage or due to neglect, I can repair it at a cost.
20. How long have you been painting?
I started painting when I was 25 years old and have been painting now for 16 years. I began drawing from a very young age, as do many of us, and really applied myself to learning how to draw in my teens. I went to Chelsea School of Art when I was eighteen, and have continuously produced artwork since then. However my mural painting career only began at the end of 2002.
21. Do you charge a consulting fee or charge for estimates?
No, I do not charge for consultations or estimates.
If you are a long way away maybe you could offer a little help with the diesel..
22. I can't afford to fly you over here! Do you know any good muralists in the United States?
I can recommend Melaney Bracken of www.melaneysmurals.com for the Atlanta, Georgia area.
Also, check out my ever growing links page. Perhaps we could organise a group tour, where I paint a bunch of murals across the States! Sounds fun!
23. Can you tell me a little about the creation process
First I do some mock up sketches based on any ideas discussed, then, once the sketches are approved, I begin drawing the image out by hand on the wall, . Then I start painting! If the mural to be painted contains a 'sky' I usually paint this first, not only because it is the most distant background, but also because it creates a good ambiance for me to work creatively in. I use a mixture of white emulsion and acrylic colours, and use brushes to apply the paint to the walls, using as many coats as are needed to create a good quality finish. This provides a very durable surface, and sometimes an extra coat of acrylic matt varnish is applied on top for added protection. Often I will need to mix up many colours before painting a particular area, and generally mix up 3 tones of the same hue to allow me to create the illusion of shadow, and add highlights last. Sometimes a full range of gradiated tones is needed for detailed work. It takes a methodical approach to create a quality mural, and persistence, and then before you know it, it's done!
24. Are these pictures wallpaper or paintings, reproductions or originals?
Original paintings, handpainted to order. If you commission a mural or painting from Neil's Sacredart, you are guarenteed a unique piece of fantastic art created just for you, in return for your hard earned cash!
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